Anchor apparatus



Aug. 22, T1967 J. HALL/ WER 3,336,893

ANCHOR APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1966 INVENTOR JOHN HALLAUER Biff/@m e. m

United States Patent O M 3,336,893 ANCHOR APPARATUS John Hallauer,Temperance, Mich., assignor of lifty percent to A. W. GRourke, Toledo,Ohio Fired July s, 1966, ser. No. 563,895 9 Claims. (Cl. 114-208) Thisinvention relates to anchoring apparatus in general, and in particularto anchoring apparatus in which the shank of the anchor is releasable torotate with respect to the linkes to enable the disengagement of theanchor from the bottom of the body of water in which it is secured.

With todays society having an increasing amount of leisure time, moreand more individuals are turning to the sport of boating. With thenumber and use of boats increasing, the variety of individuals utilizingthe boats is also growing, including women and children. Previously,boats of certain sizes required anchors of sufficient size and weightalone to hold the boat in an anchored position. As the size of the boatsincreased, the size of the anchor increased to a point where the weightof the anchor exceeded that easily handled by a majority of the boatowners and users. As an improvement, liuke anchors were provided anddesigned so that the linkes engaged the bottom of the body of water andheld the boat in the anchored position. These anchors required lessweight since the holding power of the entrenched linkes replaced theweight required before. However, when it was desired to raise the anchorthe problem arose of disengaging the liukes from the bottom. Sometimes,when the linkes were inserted under rocks, this became an almostimpossible task.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improvedanchor apparatus.

It is a further object of this invention to provide improved anchorapparatus in which the shank of the anchor may be released lfor rotationwith respect to the liukes so that the liukes may be pulled out ordisengaged from the bottom in the direction in which they were insertedinto the bottom.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improvedanchor apparatus having a shank extension which aids in engaging theflukes in the bottom of a body of water and then is active in assistingin the disengaging of the liukes from the bottom when the shank isrotated with respect to the engaged liukes.

The present .invention then features an anchor comprising a pair ofliukes for engaging the bottom of a body of water, a shank, and a shaftmounted transversely to one end of the shank and extending on each sideto support a liuke on each side of the shank. Means are provided forjournally supporting the shaft so that the shaft is revoluble withrespect to the linkes from and back into anchoring position. The linkesare advantageously secured to the shaft and the shaft is journallymounted in the shank. A release lever is provided which is pivotallymounted on and intermediate the length of the shank and extends betweenthe pair of liukes. Release pin means are connected on the end of therelease lever and adapted to abut the linkes and prevent the relativerotation of the shank and liukes beyond a predetermined anchoringposition. The liukes have release slots formed in the shankadjacentedges and spaced from the normal abutting location of the release pinmeans. Means are provided for pivoting the release lever to bring therelease pins into the release slots thereby freeing the shank forrotation with respect to the liukes.

Means `are provided for yieldingly biasing the release lever in apredetermined position to hold the release pin means in abuttingrelationship with the pair of liukes.

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3,3%3 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 ICC The biasing means advantageouslycomprises spring means mounted on the shank between the shaft and therelease lever. The spring is preferably under compression and a plate orwasher member is mounted on the shaft between the spring and the releaselever to distribute and align the force of the spring along the releaselever.

The release lever pivoting means may comprise a sliding operator mountedon the shank above the release lever, the operator being adapted to bemoved down the shank and bear against the side of the release lever awayfrom the liukes to pivot the lever. The sliding operator preferablycomprises a ring-like member of sufficient diameter to provide leverageagainst the` release lever, the sliding operator being adapted forconnection to a line to a boat which may be utilized for moving thering-like member against the release lever.

Means are provided connected to the shank and extending past thetransverse shaft to bear against the bottom of the body of water as theshank is being rotated to assist in urging the anchor from engagementwith the bottom. The shaft extension means is preferably a bifurcatedmember having two paddle-like elements each disposed at an acute anglewith respect to the axis of the shank. One rof the paddle-like memberslies against the bottom of the body of water when the anchor is beingengaged therewith and thus assists in digging lthe linkes into thebottom.

Other objects, advantage-s and features of this invention will becomeapparent when the following description is taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of anchor apparatus embodying theteachings of this invention; and iFIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional View ofthe anchor apparatus of FIGURE 1 ltaken along lines 2-2.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, there is illustrated an anchor 10embodying the teachings of this invention. The anch-or 10 comprises apair of ilukes 2d, 21 and a shrank 11 having an eye 12 formed in one endthereof for attaching a line to the boat. A shaft 30 is mountedtransversely to one end of the shank 10 and extends on each side of theshank to support the liukes 20 and 21. The shaft 30 may be welded orotherwise attached to the liukes 20, 21 and journally supported in thelower end of shank 11. Alternatively, the shaft 30 may bejournally-mounted in liukes 20, 21 and retain the linkes thereon by theenlarged ends 31 formed on the shaft. In the latter instance, the shaftwill be secured to the lower end of the shank 11. In either instance,means are provided for journally supporting the shaft so that the shankis revoluble with respect to Ithe liukes from and back into anchoringposition.

A release lever 40 is pivotally mounted at 41 on and intermediate thelength of the shank 11. The release lever extends between the pair offlakes. Release pin means 42, 43 are attached to the ends of the releaselever and adapted to abut the flukes and prevent the relative rotationof the shank and the liukes beyond a predetermined anchoring position.In FIGURE l, it may be seen that the liukes are abutting release pinmeans 42 thereby holding the liukes in an anchoring position. Releaseslots 22, 23- are formed in the shank ladjacent edges of the flukes 20and 21, respectively, yas can thus be seen in FIGURE 2. By pivoting therelease lever 40 on pivot means 41, which may be a pin inserted throughthe lever and the shank 11, the abutting release pin means, in thisinstance 42, may be brought up by the linkes 20, 21 so that the releasepin means may pass through the release slots 22, 23. When the respectiverelease pin means are adjacent the release slots 22, :23, the shank 11is revoluble with respect to the linkes from the anchoring position.This allows the shank 11 to be rotated so that -posite that in whichthey were driven during their engagement with the bottom of the body ofwater.

To assist the anchor in engaging the bottom and disengaging from thebottom, a shank extension 13 is provided which extends past the shaft 30to bear against the bottom of the body of water. The extension 13 ispreferably bifurcated having two paddle-like elements 13a and 13b, eachdisposed at an acute angle with respect to the axis of the shank. One ofthe padd-le-like members, for example 13a, lies against the bottom ofthe body of water as the anchor is lowered and assists in disposing theflukes at the proper angle for engaging the bottom of the lake. When theanchor is being removed and the shank is in a rotatable position, thepaddle-like element lying adjacent the bottom of the lake acts as alever to assist in working the flukes 20, 21 free as the shank isrotated since a paddle-like element will be bearing and pushing againstthe bottom of the lake.

In the preferred embodiment there is provided means for pivoting therelease lever 40 to bring the release pins 42 or 43 into-the releaseslots 22, 23 thereby preparing the shank for -rotation with respect tothe fiukes. In FIGURES l and 2 there is shown a sliding operator 60which comprises a ring-like member of sufficient diameter to provideleverage against t-he release lever. The sliding operator is mounted onthe shank 11 and is adapted for connection to a line to a boat. The boatis utilized for moving the ring-like member 60 down the shank andagainst the release lever to pivot the release lever and effect thefreeing of the shank 11 for rotation. The normal anchor line isconnected to the eye end 12 of the shank to hold the boat in itsanchored position. A .second release line is connected to the releaseoperator 60.

Means are provided for yieldingly biasing the release lever 40 in apredetermined position to hold the release pin means in abuttingrelationship with the pair of flukes. In the preferred embodiment, thebiasing `means is a spring means St] mounted on the shank between t-heshaft 30 and the release lever 40. In this instance, the spring is undercompression and to distribute and align the force of the spring alongthe lever a spring washer or plate member 51 is mounted on the shaftbetween the spring 50 and the release lever 40. A similar spring washeror retainer 52 may be provided at the other end ofthe spring 50 tomaintain the spring in an aligned relationship. Each of the platemembers 51 and 52 may have a cupped relationship with respect to theends of the springs to retain the spring in a centered position on ashank 11.

In operation, the anchor is lowered overboard by a line connected to theeye end 12 of the shank 11 and is engaged with the bottom of the body ofwater as described hereinbefore. When it is desired to release theanchor, the line connected to the eye end 12 is slackened or droppedoverboard and a line connected to the release operator 60 is drawn taut.The release line is held taut, as by snubbing, while the boat is drivenback along the -axial direction of the shank, sliding the operator 60down the shank to the release lever 40. Contact with the release lever40 will pivot the release lever pushing the release pin means 42 or 43to the release slots 22, 23 thereby freeing the shank for relativerotation with respect to the flakes. The boat continues to bear onrelease line 60 rotating the shank 11 to a position substantially inline with the flukes 20, 21. During this rotation, the shaft extension13 pushes against the bottom of the lake loosening the flukes from theirembedded position. As the boat continues, the release operator 60 slidesback up the shank and bears against the eye end 12 and pulls the anchorfrom the bottom.

There has thus been described an anchor which, for example, can be madeto weigh only fteen pounds to retain a forty or fifty foot boat. Thiscuts many pounds from the weight of the anchors previously used andallows the effecting of an easy withdrawal of the anchor from itsembedded position.

In conclusion, it is to be noted that the embodiment disclosed anddescribed herein is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting inany sense. The embodiment serves only to illustrate the spirit and scopeof. the invention.

I claim:

1. An anchor comprising a pair of flukes for engaging the bottom of abody of water, a shank, a shaft mounted transversely to one end of saidshank and extending on each side to support a fluke on each side of saidshank, means for journally supporting said shaft so that said shank isrevoluble with respect to said liukes from and back into anchoringposition, a release lever pivotally mounted on and intermediate thelength of said shank and extending between said pair of linkes, releasepin means on the ends of said release lever adapted to abut said ukesand prevent the relative rotation of said shank and flukes beyond apredetermined anchoring position, said Hakes having release slots formedin the shank-adjacent edges spaced from the normal abutting location ofsaid release pin means, and means for pivoting said release lever tobring said release pins into said release slots, thereby freeing saidshank for rotation with respect to said flukes.

2. An anchor as dened in claim 1 which further includes means foryieldingly biasing ysaid `release lever in a predetermined position tohold said release pin means in abutting relationship with said pair offlukes.

3. An anchor as defined in claim 2 in which said biasing means includesspring means mounted on said shank between said shaft and said releaselever.

4. An anchor as defined in claim 3 in which said spring is undercompression and which further includes a plate member mounted on saidshaft between said spring and said release lever to distribute and alignthe force of said spring along said lever.

5. An anchor as defined in claim 1 in which said release lever pivotingmeans includes a sliding operator mounted on said shank above .saidrelease lever, said operator bein-g adapted to be moved down said shankand bear against the side of the release lever away from said flukes topivot said lever.

6. An anchor as defined in claim 1 in which said fiukesA are secured tosaid shaft and said shaft is journally mounted in said shank.

7. An anchor as defined in claim 5 in which said sliding operatorcomprises a 4ring-like member of sufficient diameter to provide leverageagainst said release lever, said sliding operator being adapted forconnection to a line to a boat which may be utilized for moving saidring-like member against said release lever.

8. An anchor as defined in claim 1 which further includes meansconnected to said shank and extending past said shaft to -bear againstthe bottom of said body of water as said shank is being rotated toassist in urging said anchor from engagement with the bottom.

9. An anchor as defined in claim 8 in which said shaft extension meansis a bifurcated member having two paddle-like elements each disposed atan acute angle with respect to the axis of said shank, one of saidpaddlel-ike members lying against the bottom of said body of water whenthe anchor is being engaged therewith.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1945 Northrop 4114-208 4/1957Gollner 114-208

1. AN ANCHOR COMPRISING A PAIR OF FLUKES FOR ENGAGING THE BOTTOM OF ABODY OF WATER, A SHANK, A SHAFT MOUNTED TRANSVERSELY TO ONE END OF SAIDSHANK AND EXTENDING ON EACH SIDE TO SUPPORT A FLUKE ON EACH SIDE OF SAIDSHANK, MEANS FOR JOURNALLY SUPPORTING SAID SHAFT SO THAT SAID SHANK ISREVOLUBLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLUKES FROM AND BACK INTO ANCHORINGPOSITION, A RELEASE LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON AND INTERMEDIATE THELENGTH OF SAID SHANK AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF FLUKES, RELEASEPIN MEANS ON THE ENDS OF SAID RELEASE LEVER ADAPTED TO ABUT SAID FLUKESAND PREVENT THE RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID SHANK AND FLUKES BEYOND APREDETERMINED ANCHORING POSITION, SAID FLUKES HAVING RELEASE SLOTSFORMED IN THE SHANK-ADJACENT EDGES SPACED FROM THE NORMAL ABUTTINGLOCATION OF SAID RELEASE PIN MEANS, AND MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID RELEASELEVER TO BRING SAID RELEASE PINS INTO SAID RELEASE SLOTS, THEREBYFREEING SAID SHANK FOR ROTATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLUKES.